


A Sky Full of Stars

by VerdantMage



Series: in tandem [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Character Study, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Named Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Not Canon Compliant, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers, Touch-Starved, and when seventy percent of his screentime is hanging out with you in a room, no beta we die unlike y'shtola, this is what happens when you decide to love an already dead man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28188192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerdantMage/pseuds/VerdantMage
Summary: Ardbert isn’t sure why he wanders back to the Warrior of Light’s-well, the Warrior of Darkness’ room. Boredom, maybe? Or perhaps he wants to see the newly returned night sky from another perspective. Maybe he feels like checking on the vaunted hero who might just save the world he helped doom again.orUnder a silent vigil of stars, Ardbert learns to live again.
Relationships: Ardbert/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Series: in tandem [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163210
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41





	A Sky Full of Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the culmination (read: complete and utter word blob) of my love for FFXIV and one (1) ghost man. 
> 
> How did I end up writing about 16k words, you may ask? Hell if I know.

Ardbert isn’t sure why he wanders back to the Warrior of Light’s-well, the Warrior of Darkness’ room. Boredom, maybe? Or perhaps he wants to see the newly returned night sky from another perspective. Maybe he feels like checking on the vaunted hero who might just save the world he helped doom again.

(Maybe, a tiny and infinitesimal part of him thinks, he wants to hear someone acknowledge him once again. Someone to see that he’s there and still a part of the world and that everything he’s gone through and is continuing to suffer through isn’t just a part of the hell he deserves to rot in for the rest of eternity.)

Dark thoughts are pushed away once he phases through the door. To his surprise, the lights are still on. Said surprise grows when he notices the Warrior of Darkness himself curled up against the room’s open window, gazing at the stars. It’s... odd really, not seeing the Miqo’te decked out in his gear. Even a century later, Ardbert can recall their battle on the Source with a great deal of clarity. In the privacy of this room, he looks just about as normal as anyone. 

“I’m back, if that’s alright with you,” Ardbert finally says, the strangeness of the image before him finally wearing off.

There’s a small shuffling as the Warrior of Darkness maneuvers his body to properly face the specter.

“Welcome back! ...Again. Something the matter?” Shock and concern tinges the Miqo’te’s tone but it’s a sharp contrast to his verdant eyes, filled with a welcoming warmth.

(Ardbert remembers those eyes, narrowed and ready to strike as his axe was bearing down on the Seeker. He remembers that focused stare, and the way the other man stood unflinching even through the faint traces of magic singed clothes and the blood dripping down his brow. Ardbert remembers the look of hesitation, one that finally gave way to a silent resolution as he and his friends finally made the long journey home.)

There’s an awkward silence as the Hume returns to the present. He takes a moment and struggles to find an excuse for the random visit. He can’t help but feel grateful for the lack of prodding from the other man, who simply sits there with a patient smile. Another moment passes before he finally admits, “Not... particularly, no. There’s not much for a spirit to do at night. Or anytime, to be frank. If you don’t mind my asking, what are you still doing up?”

The Warrior of Darkness gives him a sheepish grin and turns his head to the window. “Nerves, maybe? It’s always hard to sleep in a new place for a few days, so I usually just look at the stars till the drowsiness starts to hit,” His smile drops, and a wistful look focuses on the view outside. “It’s weird. Whenever I look up, I think I see the same night sky as the Source. But then, I notice that things aren’t the same. Constellations I’ve memorized during my travels, bundles of stars that seem so familiar but aren’t. It’s a weird reminder that I’m in a whole new world. ...Apologies for that bit of rambling. Say, did you miss seeing them? Your stars, I mean.”

Ardbert is silent as he slowly trudges up to the Warrior of Darkness’ side and joins him in looking at the night sky. “I didn’t really think about it, really,” He finally says, the swirling cosmos before him looking just as it did a century ago, almost as if it hadn’t been hidden by a veil of Light for so long. “Back then, the night sky was just that. It was a constant, something I could always just know was there even after the most harrowing or strange adventures.”

“Strange? Like what?” The Warrior of Darkness’ focus shifts completely onto Ardbert, and the specter can’t help but pause and take it all in.

The feeling of someone staring straight at him sends shivers down the Hume’s spine. That feeling, the yearning for someone’s eyes on him and only him. It’s like an utterly irritating itch that’s finally, _finally_ , been scratched. In the back of his mind, he can’t help but remember all the times he tried to grab someone’s attention, for a person to hear his cries and help him fight the feelings of solitude that were slowly starting to overwhelm every piece of his being. 

(A part of him is grateful. A part of him wants to scream to the sky that it took so long.)

Ardbert shrugs, forcing his thoughts into answering the question. “We got into all sorts of things back then. When you’re a Warrior of Light and a famous adventurer, everyone wants a piece of you to help solve even the most menial tasks,” The exasperated grimace that flashes on the Warrior of Darkness’ face agrees with that notion, and it almost makes the specter grin. “But that’s not for here or now. And besides, I doubt you want to hear about things you’ve surely experienced yourself. You should get some sleep, seize the day properly and all that.”

A soft scoff escapes his companion. “Thank you for the advice, mother, but I’m well aware of my bedtime. But…” There’s a teasing lit in his voice as he stretches from his chair and he levels a pleading gaze at Ardbert. “If you’re so intent on sending me to bed, won’t you tell me a story or two to help me fall asleep? Who knows, the trouble that you got into might’ve been completely different from my brand of trouble!”

Ardbert just stares at the Warrior of Darkness in disbelief. They both stand there, still and waiting for the other to make a move. The only motion comes from the Warrior of Darkness’ tail, lazily waving around as another sign of his mirth at the situation at hand.

He should say no. Admonish the Miqo’te for acting like a child and leave without a second thought.

And yet.

...And yet. 

The idea of having his attention, if only for a little bit, is extremely tempting. Because really, isn’t this what he wants? Someone willing to spend time with him and give his uncertain existence even the tiniest bit of purpose? 

“Fine, fine,” Ardbert relents, as if he wasn’t just having a fight with both sides of his brain. “Twist my arm, why don’t you? But, only one though. I’d rather you not die because I prattled on for too long,” The ghost gestures for the Seeker to settle down. He ignores the feeling of amusement at his companion’s obvious glee, shown in the quick twitch of his ears and the grin plastered on his face as he sits back down.

Ardbert looks back to the sky, and thinks of a world long gone. Faces that he’ll never see again, moments that will never come back, and places lost to both time and the unyielding force of Light. He thinks of all the grand adventures and all the simple odd jobs. When his mind finally settles on a story to tell out of all the countless tales teetering in his brain, he looks back at the Warrior of Darkness. The Miqo’te meets his gaze with a curious glint in his eyes. Ardbert can’t help but savor the attention. 

The Hume raises a brow, the wordless question asking the other man if he’s ready or not.

The Warrior of Darkness responds in kind with a slight nod and small smile on his lips. 

It’s all the motivation Ardbert needs to begin. “Well… this one oddity of an adventure all began with rumors of this treasure…”

Before the shade knows it, one story has turned into a veritable anthology. It’s as though a fire has been lit in his soul, and it simply won’t go out until Ardbert’s voice grows hoarse or he runs out of tales to tell. The Warrior of Darkness simply listens to every word, only occasionally interjecting to voice his shock or laugh aloud.

(“No! Renda-Rae and Branden did not!”

Ardbert nods solemnly. “Aye.”

“And Lamitt and Nyelbert-”

“Just took one look at each other and left the tavern as if they never met the other two in all their days.”

“Hah! They sound amazing.”

“...They were. All of them.”)

As another tale winds to it’s resolution and the nostalgia of bygone days begins to clear, Ardbert finally sees the half-lidded eyes and drooping ears of the Warrior of Darkness. Despite the lack of blood circulating his system, he can still feel it rush to his cheeks. It’s a tad embarrassing for him to just go on about the past, and how his listener continued to cling onto his words despite the settling exhaustion. He clears his throat and says, “Now, I’ve indulged you enough. Far more than enough, really. Get some shut-eye, you hear?”

As if finally free from the confines of his chair, the Warrior of Darkness unleashes a long and loud yawn. The man steals one last glance at the night sky before pulling the windows shut. “Loud and clear. I’ve taken up enough of your time, I assume.”

“I told you before, there’s not much for me to do except wander around like a common ghost,” Ardbert retorts. A second or two passes. Hesitantly, he adds in a whisper, “This… was nice. Reminiscing like this.” He wonders if the other man heard him.

A soft chuckle serves as his answer. Ardbert looks to see the Warrior of Darkness grinning. “Good! We should do this again then. It doesn’t have to just be stories of your own. I won’t be that mean. I have quite a number of my own tales to spin. And we could also just talk about… whatever comes to mind too.”

The shade blinks at that. “Never thought you’d enjoy the company of a spirit.”

The grin transforms into a teasing smirk once again. “As it turns out, the spirit in front of me is rather fun to be around. Besides, it’s better for me to make friends with the one haunting my suite rather than kicking him out, no? ”

Said spirit lets out a small huff, but doesn’t find it in himself to try to disagree. “Yes, yes, whatever would I do without your company? ...But I suppose we could do this again, should time permit.”

“Sounds like a plan,” The Warrior of Darkness begins to saunter over to his bed and passes Ardbert by.

In that moment, the world comes to a stop. The lightest touch, just a simple brush of hands. Even through his gloves, he feels it. He feels someone else. To anyone else, it wouldn’t cross their minds for a single moment. For the Warrior of Darkness, it probably doesn’t register. For Ardbert, the faint feeling sears itself into his brain. He lets out a choked noise, prompting the Miqo’te to whip his head back around, eyes wide in worry.

“Everything alright?”

Ardbert hides his hand as if concealing a burn. “A-aye. It’s nothing. Off to bed with you.”

The suspicion on the other’s face doesn’t clear up, but it relaxes just a smidge. “Alright, continue being weird then. Goodnight, Ardbert.”

The warm feeling within his soul begins to burn bright again at the mention of his name coupled with the possible touch. It’s... nice. No other way to describe it. It’s so damn nice to have someone call out his name in such a friendly tone. Not with scorn. Not with disgust. His response is light, almost a whisper. “Goodnight, Warrior of Darkness.”

A chuckle escapes the Miqo’te when he looks back at him. “C’mon, don’t do that sort of thing here. Right now, I’m just… A’vett. Remember that for next time, alright?” There’s a hint of something in his tone that prickles beneath Ardbert’s skin. Is it sorrow? Annoyance? Regardless, it makes the ghost feel bad for only referring to him as such for all this time.

Ardbert nods at the other man. “...I will. Goodnight, A’vett. Sweet dreams.”

“I’ll see you then!”

He leaves then without an answer, and his descent down the stairs of the Pendants is a long and drawn out affair. When he finally reaches the outside, it’s not the night sky that he looks at, but his hand. He flexes it slowly, letting the spectral muscles contract and relax. It might have been a trick. A sick and dirty trick that his mind is playing on him, as punishment for getting too comfortable. For yearning for the fabled “again” to be sooner rather than later.

But it might be something else. Something far more frightening. 

It might be hope. It might be a chance.

For what exactly? He’s not sure.

But there’s no denying the mix of excitement and trepidation coursing through his veins.

.

Again happens the night they return from Il Mheg, Lightwarden slain and a feeling resembling relief settled deep in Ardbert’s chest.

He tries not to think of the prior night. He doesn’t want to let that small flicker of something burn out, not yet. He doesn’t want to lose it, not like he’s lost everything else.

So he thinks of something else. Of someone else. Of someone he thought long gone.

Thoughts of Seto, his dear partner in crime, haven’t crossed his mind in a long time. His last memories of his companion are letting him fly free, far away from the villains behind the star-ending catastrophe, with the small hope that the amaro would find even the smallest bit of happiness without him. Seeing him there, all grown and still mourning, was so much. Too much, really.

To think, there’s someone out there who remembers. All the good times, all the bad times, all the adventures, and all the fond memories before they were washed away. Gods, does Ardbert wish he could call out to his dear partner, to tell him that he _knows_. Knows how much he cares, knows how much he misses him, and that the feeling is mutual. He wants to stroke those feathers and whisper reassurances just as he did so long ago. His hates his current circumstances, hates them so damn much, but the fact that he only knows all of this now halts the bitter feelings from completely taking over. 

At least there’s one way to spill the feelings about his long lost partner.

A’vett has persuaded, well more like strong-armed (as much as one can force a dead man all too willing to prattle on about an old companion), him into telling stories of Seto. At the very least, the Seeker has the decency to take the stage as well, regaling Ardbert with a variety of stories in the midst of devouring the Exarch’s basket of sandwiches.

(“...Butterball?” Ardbert can’t help but raise an eyebrow at the name given to his fellow’s chocobo.

A’vett can only glare at him, tail bristled and cheeks flushed a deep and dark red against his tanned skin. “S-so what! It’s a good name. I may have only come up with it cause I was a tad hungry at the time, but still! He loved it and that’s what matters. You should’ve seen the way his eyes lit up! It was adorable! Extremely so, even!”

“And immediately after getting him, your first thought was to jump off a _cliff_?”

“It was not a cliff! ...Just a very tall ledge. And besides, it was an accident! I simply wanted to get a better view of the area and we both lost our footing! Oh gods, I’m just glad Butterball wasn’t too angry...”)

“Would you like to hear something I noticed?” A’vett asks once the story of Seto’s medallion comes to a close.

Ardbert raises a brow, a cue for the other man to continue.

“I didn’t mention it earlier, but I will now. It’s easy to see how much Seto means to you, and pretty much all of these stories have been rather light hearted. But back then and even now, you just look kind of sad when you tell them. I can see it in your eyes. I... don’t believe I’ve even seen you really smile, now that I think about it.”

The shade blinks. “That so?”

Ardbert never realized that. Even as he sifts through his memories with A’vett, he can’t help the present circumstances seep through, staining his memories in a bittersweet hue. All of those wonderful adventures took place in a world long gone. His sins still haunt him and really, it’s what he deserves. Why should he smile about those halcyon days when he was part of the problem that took them away?

His silence seems to serve as some sort of answer for A’vett, who lightly slams his palms on the table in a way to clear the air.

“Well… how about we talk about something else then?” The Miqo’te eventually says.

“Like?” 

The Seeker rolls his eyes as if the Hume missed something so obvious. “I told you before, but whatever comes to mind! Anything at all!”

“Well…” Ardbert hums. “That’s, uh, quite the broad topic, you know.”

“T-true,” A’vett sighs, also at a bit of a loss. “Uh… what about… no...” The Miqo’te slumps over slightly, ears drooping at the lack of inspiration.

“I still have a few other stories of Seto, you know. And we really only scratched the surface of all the other adventures I went on,” the specter offers.

“Tempting… but maybe something else. How about ourselves? It’s rather basic, but there’s not much else I can think of. C’mon then, tell me about yourself. There’s plenty of stuff I’ve gathered through your stories, but there’s no harm in going into the details a bit more. Tell me about... your childhood or something.”

Once again, the man before him manages to knock Ardbert off his feet. “Why would you want to know? There’s no need for you to learn about a dead man’s past. It’s not as though it’s even all that exciting anyway.”

A’vett shrugs. “I just want to know, I guess. I know plenty about Ardbert, the grand adventurer and former Warrior of Light… and Darkness. Is it so bad that I want to know a little more about you? Just good ol’ Ardbert.”

Thoughts stray back to a night much like this, and the insistence of names, no titles or designations in this room.

Ardbert lets out a small sigh. “I assume you’d pester me until you get all the little details about my childhood?”

A’vett shakes his head, eyes narrowed in slight offense at the accusation. “What sort of villain do you think I am? I won’t force you to talk about it if you’d rather not.”

“Rather considerate of you, but there’s no harm in telling you, really. As I warned though, it’s a bit of a bore.”

So he tells him. 

He tells him of a boy born to a sleepy village in Khoulsia. Of a boy who grew up with only a father by his side, mother lost to illness in the midst of his infancy. Of a boy whose only friends were the animals around, a consequence of being the only child in a small and nearly isolated space. Of a boy who grew up learning about livestock and tending the fields, and whose dreams of tomorrow held only a sea of wheat till his bones were old and brittle. Of a boy whose whole life changed when he chanced upon an adventurer, brave, strong, and seemingly invincible. How he yearned to be like that, a seeker of glory and one who traveled all across the world for new experiences. So he trained. Trained till he could hold an axe properly enough. Trained till he could push down the fear of battle to the back of his head. Trained until the day he finally felt ready to take on the world. He didn’t look back at that sleepy village then, not when the view in front was so much more enticing.

(Ardbert wonders, more than a century later, if he should’ve.)

“And that’s that, the story of how I became an adventurer,” the Hume finishes. “Like I said, not very exciting. I suppose my first job is a more exciting tale, if not much more embarrassing.”

The basket of sandwiches is long gone and the dawn is reaching ever closer. Yet, there A’vett is, wrapped in a contemplative silence as no signs of exhaustion or boredom mark his features. “I guess you’re right. Not very exciting,” he eventually echoes. He takes a long sip from his cup and when he puts it down, a wide grin stretches across his face. “But I’m glad you told me. Whether it’s a heart-racing tale or not, it’s your past. I’m glad to know it, really. We can save the story about your first job for another time. Gives us both a little something to look forward to,” His tone takes a teasing tone as he lifts his fingers to frame Ardbert’s body between the space. “And besides, your childhood does give quite the interesting image.”

“I’m sorry?”

“A farm boy, eh? I would’ve liked to see baby you in the flesh. Maybe even you now would work!”

“Hah?!” The specter turns away from his companion, voice full of disbelief. “Really now, I pour my life story at your own request and then you start to joke around with it?”

A’vett tuts in annoyance, and maneuvers around the room to get a different angle of the Hume. “Don’t get your breeches in a twist! I’m not poking fun, I’m _complimenting_ you. I don’t have the best fashion sense, but my guts say that you’d look quite dashing in some of the gathering gear back home.” Ardbert blushes at that, but A’vett pays no attention as he mutters, “Right, you’d probably look really good in some botanist gear, maybe something from the guild or the clothes that I often see in the Diadem and Firmament. And maybe I could replace the hat with a bandanna or something else on that mug of yours... Yeah! I think that’d be a fine look for you! Pair it off with how good you look already, you’d have all sorts of people fawning or fuming over you, I’m certain of it! ...As fine an image that is though, maybe something more sleek would steal hearts better? Ah, no wonder Tataru always gets onto my case regarding my clothes if this is what she constantly goes through...”

“Bah!” Ardbert exclaims, cheeks a dark red and the end of his rope already far gone. “Enough about this odd makeover for me, alright?!”

The Miqo’te lets out a laugh. “A thousand apologies from me then. But really, it’s a rather fun thing to imagine, don’t you think? A life if you didn’t become an adventurer.”

The shade can only hum in response. “Maybe,” He says eventually.

A’vett rises from his chair, stretching toward the ceiling. “Glad you think so, and I am at least a little sorry. I have been told I can be a bit imaginative sometimes. And with all that out of the way, I do believe I should head to bed now. Like you said before, I ought to seize the day properly, no?”

The specter huffs at his words being thrown right back at him. He turns to leave, but before he can give his farewell, A’vett’s next words give him pause.

“Do you wish you never became an adventurer, then? If, by some off chance you could go back and change it all, would you? Would you become a real farm boy, and spend your days tending to the fields instead of fighting some battle?”

Ardbert steals a glance at the other man, but A’vett’s gaze is towards the window, towards the stars. His smile is gone, replaced by a thin line and a furrowed brow. The questions weigh down on him, but they aren’t new. Haven’t been for a long time. They are ones that still plague him, even now. What if he never saw that adventurer way back then? What if he chose not to pursue that dream? Would the Flood still happen? Would the First still be full of life, not a broken world standing on trembling legs? 

(But then what would happen then to his friends? Would they be alive? Would Lamitt still be searching for a cure? Would Branden be able to save his kingdom? Would Renda-Rae still be hunting the prey that killed her friends? Would Nyelbert still be searching for a way to save his childhood friend? And what about Seto? Would his torment have continued, had Ardbert not been there to reach out his hand? What about all the lives he had saved before it all went to hell?)

The specter swallows those thoughts, pushes them into the back of his mind. He locks those errant thoughts up tight and throws away the key. “Remember what I said, about regret?” he finally answers, looking straight into his companion’s eyes. “No point in it, not now.” He cannot, willnot, let those thoughts overwhelm him.

A’vett is silent, that oddly contemplative frown stuck on his face. “I see,” He sits down on his bed, gaze still trained on the night sky. “I think… I’m glad. Okay, that’s not exactly the right word, considering all that’s happened to the First, but still. I’m at least kind of glad you chose the path you did. I know you helped cause the Flood. I know that it was responsible for so much destruction and so much death. But before that you were a hero. You were a hero to those people you saved. They may be gone, but that doesn’t change the fact that for a long time, you were a Warrior of Light for a reason. And besides, you’re still a hero to Seto. You shouldn’t forget that,” The Seeker turns to the ghost, a soft smile on his lips as he adds, “If it matters at all, I think you’re still a hero too. And hey, if you didn’t choose this path, we wouldn’t be talking like this, would we?”

The silence that settles between them is deafening. Ardbert’s torn. A part of him wants to refute the other’s words. There should be no cause to call him a hero, not when all his deeds were wiped away in a disaster of his own making. Yet another part of him wants to take comfort in them, to take sanctuary in the one person in the world who dares to reach out to him like this. To comfort a villain, a monster. To one of the people who ruined everything.

The quiet shatters when A’vett shoots up and declares, “Know what, I’ve changed my mind. I can stay up a while longer! With all I’ve put you through the night, especially after that rather selfish and insensitive comment, you deserve a reward!”

The words barely register in the Hume’s mind. “A reward?”

“Yeah. Just name it. Want me to spill my most embarrassing childhood story? Perks of coming from a big family. Most recent one? Happens if you know the company I tend to keep. Some more misadventures of my own? Trust me, I have plenty, as I’m sure you’ve guessed. Or maybe do a funny little dance? I’ll grin and bear it, promise.”

It all comes flooding back to him, the memory at the end of the night much like this. There’s no point in waiting, Ardbert decides. No point in sustaining a small, dying flicker of hope. No point in tearing himself apart with the thoughts of what might be a delusion or reality. He might as well take the plunge and extinguish it now.

(Or maybe, the smallest part of his brain begs, it’ll grow. Grow into an inferno so hot it’ll set his soul aflame at the possibility that may open.) 

Swallowing his fear, Ardbert says, “I want you to try and touch me.”

A’vett sputters at that, and the gibberish coming out of his mouth mixed with the blush on his cheeks say that out of everything he probably imagined, that is nowhere near the top.

“No, wait! I’m sorry, let me explain…” The Hume begins, cringing at his word choice, “I think I felt you, _touched you_ -or rather, you accidentally touched me-that night after the battle in Lakeland. It was light, just our hands, I think. I wasn’t sure if it was just a figment of my imagination or not. I’d rather squash that doubt right now.”

“Uh, okay. Okay.” A’vett rises from his bed, and begins to walk toward the shade in small steps. The Hume matches his pace, and the two meet halfway right at the room’s set of stairs.

The Miqo’te reaches an uncertain hand out, stopping only an ilm or two from the other’s head. Really, it’s not fair for him to be so nervous. After all, he’s not the one who hasn’t felt the touch of another in so long. But maybe it’s that he’s aware of that. Aware that with a single motion, he can make or break the fragile little hope that’s taking refuge in Ardbert’s heart. There’s a loud thumping in the specter’s chest, and he almost wants to close his eyes in anticipation of it all.

Still, he doesn’t expect the hand to softly land on his head. Both of their eyes are blown wide open, both at the discovery and the soft light shining at the point of impact. Despite all of his desperation for it to be true, surprise still shocks him to his core. How could it not, when nothing in this world could reach out to him before? But here A’vett comes, laughing in the face of impossibility like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Ardbert revels in the warmth of the hand that lays atop of his head. It’s almost like feeling a sensation for the first time. And in his case, it’s not all that far from the truth. 

All this time, Ardbert has felt that he’s only holding onto the world by a fraying rope. As if he ever let his guard down, his feet would no longer be on the ground. Maybe that would’ve been the case, if he just let go and let the years of loneliness claim his soul earlier. But now, when A’vett begins to thread his fingers through his brown locks and ruffle them, the specter lets out a noise of utter relief. He feels grounded. He feels whole-well, not quite. But he feels a step closer to feeling alive. And it’s more. So much more than he could’ve imagined or hoped for. Tears don’t fall from his eyes and hells, Ardbert isn’t even sure he can cry now, but it certainly feels like they’re welling up, fit for bursting from the ducts.

“How strange…” is all that A’vett whispers. Ardbert almost wants to laugh. Quite the understatement. The two of them stay like that for who knows how long, and Ardbert wishes that this moment could last an eternity. How long he’s yearned for this, and by the gods does he not want to let go. But he can’t. A dead man, especially not him, shouldn’t so selfishly cling onto the living like this. Not when there’s still so much at stake. The rational part of his brain finally kicks in and he eventually tears away from the other’s grasp.  
.  
“So…” A’vett drawls, eyes stuck on his hand, “do you happen to have any idea as to why this is possible?”

There’s a small suspicion forming in his brain. They’re connected, that much is obvious. But the how and why is still a mystery. Any sort of clue that may solve this particular puzzle is still out of reach for either of them. “Do you want to know what I think?” Ardbert asks instead.

The Seeker tilts his head, the action a blatant cue for the other to go on.

“I don’t particularly care, honestly.” And it’s the truth. Maybe one day, the mystery of whatever is between them will clear. But for now, he’s fine with not knowing the whole story. 

A’vett laughs loudly at that. “Honestly, I agree. I’m happy to chalk it up to magic of whatever sort and call it a night.” He reaches out once again and takes Ardbert’s hands with both of his. The contact sends a shock through the shade’s system. The Seeker squeezes tightly as if to reassure the other man that what’s happening is real, and it makes Ardbert wonder if it’s possible for a dead man to have a heart attack like this. “I’m happy for you, Ardbert, I really am.”

“Aye,” Is it weird to say thank you? Maybe not, but the Hume refrains from voicing the need to thank the other for granting him this miracle. So instead, he says, “Go to sleep then, don’t let me keep you.”

“Okay,” A’vett lets him go then, and the shade fights the urge to take them again. Ardbert turns to leave, and he doesn’t look back when the other says his farewell with a great amount of cheer in his voice.

The moment he exits, the specter clutches his hands to his chest, and the hammering within doesn’t cease. It’s faint and ever fading, but the warmth of the other man is still there.

One touch. All it took is one touch and Ardbert already feels addicted.

.

Again rears its head once again on the night after the attack on the Crystarium. An exhausting day following a harrowing evening. Ardbert expects A’vett to be passed out on his bed, but he seems well intent on subverting that expectation when the specter sees him sitting at his spot by the window, but with a wider space for anyone to occupy. Maybe he’s expecting company.

(He can’t help but hope that A’vett’s expecting him.)

In a few moments, Ardbert joins him. He casts a quick glance at the quiet Miqo’te, eyes closed and posture stiff. The silence reigns before he finally says, “I’m back. Looks like you were busy all day.” From his spot overlooking most of the city, Ardbert remembers seeing the other darting across the area throughout the day.

At that, A’vett opens his eyes and seems to deflate. “Welcome back. An understatement, really.” He tells Ardbert about the various back and forth between the Ostall Imperative and the Crystarium. He tells him about helping the wounded, checking in with the soldiers and his fellow Scions. He makes a lengthy rant about it taking ages to gather up some of the soldiers and outright forcing their captain to take a break, much to the Viis’ displeasure and the apparent fear of the guards at his side.

“After that, I pretty much spent the rest of the day in the infirmary doing what I could until we all went to the Ocular and spoke with the Exarch. Plan is to go to for Amh Araeng’s Lightwarden next.”

“And where was your break, exactly?”

A’vett turns to the other man, eyes wide as if he was just caught in the midst of some sort of scheme. He slumps slightly and lets out a soft “damn” in response. “I see you noticed that small detail,” He says with a sheepish grin.

Ardbert sighs. “It’s in an adventurer’s favor to pay attention to the little things, after all. Sounds like instead of keeping busy, you were purposefully trying to run yourself ragged.”

Truthfully speaking, he doesn’t have the right to reprimand the other man like that. He’s no stranger to that sort of self inflicted punishment after all. Anytime an adventure went awry, especially back in those early days, Ardbert would just take his axe and go through the motions as a way to reflect on whatever went wrong. He wouldn’t stop until his body just gave out. Well that, or whenever Lamitt threatened to kick him in the shins and then wring his neck for the disgusting lack of self-care.

The Miqo’te chuckles, but there’s a hollowness in it. “Fair enough. I suppose you aren’t far off the mark. ...And yes, I am getting rather hungry. Thank the Twelve I stopped by the markets a few days ago.” Rising quickly, he bounds over to the room’s kitchen.

“I thought I told you to take a break, not work some more.” Ardbert muses as he follows behind.

“Cooking _is_ relaxing for me. And besides, I’d rather be a little active and put in some effort instead of starving.”

The shade watches in silence as the other works his magic in the kitchen. He thinks that A’vett would cook with that carefree attitude he mostly shows in the comfort of this room. In truth, it’s not like that at all. He makes no noise, and all of his movements are calculated and precise. Here, it’s as though he’s on the battlefield once more.

The magic continues for several more minutes until the Seeker slams a bowl and plate onto the table. The result is… wow. Ardbert is far from a master in the kitchen, but even he can tell that what he’s looking at is a high quality meal. All A’vett made is a simple meat stew and a side salad, yet it looks damn good. The sort of shine that seemingly radiates from the meal helps that feeling. The look of absolute delight on the Miqo’te’s face when he begins to dig probably says that it tastes damn good as well. 

“Consider me surprised,” the ghost admits.

A chuckle escapes A’vett’s lips, and the ghost can hear some of his usual cheer in his voice. “I may not look it, but I am quite the culinarian! It took me a while to figure out suitable substitutes for some ingredients on the Source, but I think I managed to do a pretty fine job!” 

“You didn’t seem the type, to be honest.”

The Seeker hums. “You think? Well, I dunno how Mystels grow up here, but we Miqo’te grow up in big families most of the time. Plus, I was one of the oldest kids in my tribe at the time. Had to help pick up some of the slack for all my siblings and all the other children. I wasn’t the best at other household chores, but my kitchen skills made up for it! They got even better when I started training at the guild in Limsa too.”

“...That makes sense now.”

“Hm?”

The Hume replies, “You tend to dote upon and tease those twins quite a bit. I even noticed you quickly attached yourself to Minfilia too not long after you met. You saying that you’re from a big family makes that clear. You’re a natural big brother.”

(Ardbert fails to add overprotective to the description. He can’t help but recall the conversation he overheard on the road back to the Crystarium and the way A’vett practically monopolized the Oracle.

“So, Minfilia,” Ardbert remembers how the Seeker sidled up to the girl’s side, pushing Thancred a few yalms forward much to the latter’s incredulous glare. Then A’vett leaned in, whispering just loud enough for the Oracle’s protector to hear, “I know that you owe Thancred a lot, but don’t be afraid to tell me if he ever makes you sad. Or even if he just acts like a nuisance. He may be rather reliable now, but that doesn’t give him any excuse to slack off in caring for you. Trust me when I say that I can break bones just as easily as I can mend them. Of course, that goes for anyone else too. I’ve got your back, promise!”

“I, uhm, I see,” Minfilia slowly replied, in a tone that indicated that she was touched but also very much hoping that was a joke. She had looked around and saw Alisaie clutching her mouth, barely able to contain her laughter. Farther ahead, Urianger had looked away, but the shaking of his shoulders indicated his own amusement at the situation.

“He’s serious, I’m afraid,” Alphinaud had chimed in.

“Oh,” The young blonde stopped at that, expression twisting into something of concern either for her guardian or the Seeker. A’vett, as if threatening bodily harm and then just as easily patching it up wasn’t inherently an issue, merely smiled in return. “T-thank you, but uhm, please don’t do that,” Minfilia finally says, and begins to walk again as the Miqo’te follows in tandem.

“Sure thing. But if you ever change your mind, you know who to call!”)

“You noticed, huh?” A’vett grimaces in between bites. “I try not to make it obvious, but I really can’t help it! It’s a natural instinct I guess. I don’t really get a chance to visit my family often, and most of my siblings are adults now. Mature as the twins and Minfilia all are, they’re still just kids. I just wanna spoil them a little. Well, spoil and make fun of in the twins’ cases. The two of them make it too easy sometimes, especially Alphinaud.”

The Miqo’te finishes his meal in the next few minutes, and Ardbert can’t help the impressed look on his face. “Perhaps you should’ve become a chef instead of an adventurer,” He jokes. “I’ve seen you eat during your travels, but it was nothing compared to how you just wolfed down your meal right now.”

“I don’t mean to brag, but I know that I make pretty amazing food! That makes it even easier to eat it all!”

The shade can only nod as a random chuckle escapes the Seeker. “What is it?” Ardbert asks.

“I was just thinking. Imagine the two of us in another life, a farm boy and a cook. A far cry from two glory-seeking adventurers, right?”

Ardbert rolls his eyes at that. “And here I was hoping you’d forget about the farm boy business.”

“Never! It’s still a rather fun thing to imagine.”

“...Is that so?”

A’vett responds with a teasing grin. “Just think about it! You’re already a bit of a mother hen, at least to me. I’m sure you’d be fussing over all your animals as if they were your children.”

“And I’m sure that if you were a cook, you’d be the type to work on each and every meal until it was absolutely perfect. Amazing food, your customers would say, but it would have an absolutely horrid wait time.” Ardbert retorts.

“Hey now…” The specter holds back a laugh when he sees the other man’s pout. “I wouldn’t do that! Besides, even if that were the case-which it isn’t-I doubt you have a cooking bone in your body. You’d be the type to barge into my restaurant even after I’ve closed and demand that I cook whatever your heart desires!”

“Excuse you, while my cooking may be rubbish, I was raised with manners.”

“Fine, fine. You’d say, ‘Oh please, A’vett, farm work is so very difficult even for me. Won’t you do me the greatest kindness of fixing me a meal fit for a king? Don’t forget, booze a plenty for me as well of great and mightiest chef of… well, whatever imaginary setting we’re in!’”

Ardbert scoffs. “I thought I’m asking you to do your job, not kissing your arse.”

A soft “tut” leaves A’vett’s mouth. “...You’re quite the fun killer, you know that?”

“Hah! I’d be paying you to cook, not make fun of me. And don’t act like you wouldn’t be working yourself to the bone all day just like you did earlier, and it’d somehow be up to me and drag you to a seat so that you can relax for the rest of the night.”

The Seeker grimaces in return. “I can’t deny that's a likely scenario… But then again, even when you do tell me to rest, you’d also make me cook something for the two of us.”

“Only if you didn’t want your kitchen to be burnt to a crisp.” Ardbert adds.

“Only if I didn’t want my kitchen to be burnt to a crisp.” A’vett echoes with a firm nod.

“Lucky for you however,” The Hume says, “I know my way around a drink. Managed to learn back during this one job in the beginning of my adventuring days. It was a bloody nightmare in the end though. Branden would constantly complain that my brew somehow wasn’t shaping up to his refined tastes. Knights, I swear. Lamitt made it even worse. Dwarves like her drink their grog as easily as they breathe and she constantly made me get her another mug. But regardless, I think I’d be able to fix up just the thing to get you into a cheery mood.”

A’vett snickers. “Yes, cause the best way for us to end a night would be to get drunk off our arses?”

“Only if you feel the hangover after is worth it!”

Another fit of laughter escapes the Miqo’te. A lightness fills the specter’s chest amidst it all. Moments like this have quickly become near and dear to Ardbert. The chance to just joke around and talk about absolute nonsense with another. For him to be able to make someone smile again. It’s crazy. Ardbert has no need to eat or drink. He never expected to once his aimless wandering had started. Being in this moment, taking these simple moments with A’vett… fill him, in a way. Much like a good meal with friends.

When the Miqo’te eventually calms down, he mutters, “It… it’d be nice if…” A frown quickly spreads over his face.

“...If such a world existed,” Ardbert finishes. The expression on the other’s face said it all.

The silence that falls is sobering.

“We don’t have a solid lead on Amh Araeng’s Lightwarden,” A’vett sighs. “Minfilia… she thinks that if we go to the spot where Minfilia-the one we knew-stopped the Flood, she could summon her and help us find it.”

“And the catch?” Because of course there’s one. There always is.

“They have to become one in both body and soul, if Emet-Selch is to be believed. She’s just a girl. Just a poor girl who’s never had a chance to live her own life. I don’t blame the old Minfilia, she did what she had to do to give the world hope. And I know she’d give the current Minfilia the life she deserves. I just…” A’vett grips his thighs tightly. “I don’t want either of them to have to go away.”

“But you and I both know that’s the best lead at finding the Warden,” Ardbert argues.

“I know! I know. But if she does this, there’s a chance she’ll basically die! Isn’t she afraid? She shouldn’t have to sacrifice herself like this!” Tears start to well in his eyes. “Gods, I wish a world like the one we imagined existed. A world like that where it’s problems are so simple in comparison. A world where she wouldn’t have to do something like this. Where she could be a normal girl, where the Minfilia I knew would still be around… where everyone I’ve known and lost would hopefully still be alive…”

The specter wonders if there’s anything he can say to console the other man. If there even is anything he can really say.

“I’m tired.” A’vett slumps across the table. “Tired of all the sacrifices.”

The ghost reaches out to take A’vett’s hand and squeezes. “It’s... not easy to sacrifice yourself. Trust me, I know. It’s not an easy choice, not at all.” He takes a moment to watch the other man stare at him with curious eyes.

(He thinks of Light flooding the world. Of the only possible option given to them by a masked man in white. Of a hill on Kholusia. Of what they all thought would be one last view of the home they loved. Of the blood on his axe, forever stained from he brought it down on his dearest companions. Of rushed and subpar burials. Of the fear while dying all alone, bleeding out and wishing things could be different. Of the almost funny feeling as he stared out at the sea of his childhood and slowly lost it darkness encompassing his vision.)

“I had to think about it. About what’s at stake, what the world would gain in exchange for what I’d-what we’d-give up. It was simple then. It, well, it really wasn’t a choice at that point.” It’s odd, the matter-of-fact tone in Ardbert’s voice. But isn’t that the truth? Whether it truly had been of his volition of not, there was only path before him at that time. Even if it was paved with blood and led straight to hell, they were all willing to walk it.

“I… understand. But...”

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” Ardbert continues, “To be the one left behind? To pick up the pieces and keep fighting?”

“Yeah. It’s hard. Always so godsdamn hard.”

“...But that proves just how strong you are.”

“Huh?” The Seeker’s dark green eyes widen in disbelief.

“You regret not being stronger. You regret not being faster, or smarter, or whatever you needed to be to save them. You take your regrets and remember them. You keep them as a reminder that you keep fighting for a reason, to make sure that no sacrifice is ever in vain. That’s proof that you’re strong. That you won’t ever give up. Am I wrong?”

Ardbert knows this. He knows this because he’s just the same.

(Or at least, he wants to believe that. While A’vett faces that regret head on and keeps on marching forward, Ardbert buries them deep into the ground. Regrets don’t matter, he says. They _can’t_ matter, because if they did, they would matter far too much. They would’ve overwhelmed him, crushed him under the weight of all the disappointment, all the broken promises, all the failures that eventually began to stack up farther than he could see. He couldn’t afford for that to happen back then. He can’t afford for that to happen now. With this little bit of joy he has managed to claim, Ardbert doesn’t want to let it go.)

“You’re not wrong,” the Miqo’te concedes.

“Is that so?”

A’vett grins, lacking its usual cheer but genuine nevertheless, and says, “Like you said, they did it so I can keep fighting. Because they believed in me. And I think you know just as well as I do that I get the job done, no matter what.”

Ardbert feels his cheeks perk up. Not quite a smile, but toeing the line of one. “Aye. So keep your chin up. I know you can keep charging ahead, cause that’s just who you are.”

It’s amazing, really. Just how much stronger A’vett is than him.

“You’re right.” The Miqo’te picks up his dishes and deposits them into a sink for the morning. He stops by the window and stares at it for another moment before closing it.

“I’ll see you around, then.” Ardbert turns to leave. He doesn’t say that he won’t be joining the adventure into Amh Araeng. The wounds are still fresh. If he closes his eyes, he can still see the others. He can still see them disappearing. He can still see them leaving him behind. It’s not something he wants to face. Not yet, maybe. Not ever, more likely.

“Ardbert!”

The specter can only turn around as A’vett throws himself into the Hume’s chest. Arms stretch across his frame and hug tightly.

“Thank you, Twelve know how blessed I am to have this,” The words are muffled and they barely register as Ardbert revels in the touch. What rings clear is the relief in the Seeker’s voice. The specter wonders how long it’s been since the other man has embraced another person like this. With the need for comfort, to hide away from the world for just a few moments.

A’vett is so much stronger than him, yet Ardbert knows that even the strong have moments of weakness.

Hesitantly, he wraps his arms around the Miqo’te and lightly squeezes back.

This is terrible, Ardbert’s mind thinks. 

This is wonderful, Ardbert’s heart counters. 

The latter wins out in a hopelessly one-sided battle with his brain, and he buries his face in the shorter man’s dark brown locks and grips the other man more tightly. Before, he never could have imagined an opportunity like this. Now, he wonders, how could he ever go without this small slice of the heavens amidst his endless purgatory?

He should tell the A’vett to go to bed. He should be the proper mother hen the other man thinks he is and send him off with a proper goodnight. But… but he doesn’t want to let go.

“I can hear you brooding you know. It’s alright,” A’vett murmurs, a faint whisper on his chest. Ardbert can’t really see the Miqo’te’s face, but he can still spot the blush rapidly blooming on his cheeks as he says, “Spoil me with this, for just a little longer.”

Spoil him, Ardbert almost wants to scoff, but restrains himself. Fool of a Seeker doesn’t realize the truth of this situation. He’s the one being spoiled. All of this is just an indulgence he can’t get enough of. So he won’t, simple as that. He takes the hammering in his chest in stride. He basks in the warmth, the desire to just drown in the other’s embrace. Till the moment A’vett gets sick of this, sick of him, he’ll listen to all the selfish desires in his heart and won’t let go.

(Neither let go, not for a long while.)

.

“I’m back.”

“Welcome back!”

Afterwards, their talks become almost nightly. Much as it would be nice to make their meetings be a constant thing, Ardbert doesn’t want A’vett to not get enough sleep and actually risk dying. So he limits it to about every other day, and only whenever the Seeker goes to rest at his room in the Pendants. Despite the need to find Amh Araeng’s Lightwarden, there’s still much to be done in the Crystarium following the attack. A’vett mentions stopping the rest of the Scions from trying to hurry their journey along, citing that their efforts during the attack afforded them at least some more rest. 

(Ardbert recalls him adding the fact that he wants Minifilia to be sure in her decision before they get the chance to meet the original Oracle.

“What can I say,” A’vett says, a strained smile on his face. “I don’t want her to have any regrets.”

Ardbert understands that sentiment well enough, after all.)

Despite banning the other Scions from leaving the city, it’s obviously a rule that doesn’t apply to the Miqo’te himself. A’vett also goes off with an array of bounty hunters, and despite all of Ardbert’s prodding, the other man refuses to divulge the details of those particular adventures.

True to their earlier words, the two of them do their best to talk about whatever comes to mind. Old adventures, odd jobs they regret taking, even simple inquiries about how their days went.

When A’vett and the others finally depart for Amh Araeng, the first thing that Ardbert thinks is that he’ll miss their talks.

Ardbert remains at his perch far above the rest of the city. The days pass by in a crawl, and the second the specter sees a familiar band of heroes, he makes his way to A’vett’s room.

.

Ardbert isn’t surprised to find A’vett asleep when he returns to the room bells later. There’s a small piece of guilt stuck in him for disappearing at the drop of a hat after all the details of the adventure in Amh Araeng. After seeing the Miqo’te collapse, the Light ready to burst from his body before eventually calming down.

He should have stayed. He should have been there for him. But the second they heard a knock on the door, the second A’vett’s attention was off him, he left. Like a godsdamn coward.

Ardbert saunters over to the other man’s bed and takes in the sight before him. He sees A’vett curled up on his side, tail flitting aimlessly about in slow motions. He sees his mouth slightly open and hears light snores.

Looking at the sleeping man, Ardbert is reminded of the idea that people look younger when they’re sleeping. Ardbert thinks it’s true in the Seeker’s case. Looking at him, as if the burdens of two stars aren’t weighing on his shoulders, as if the Light isn’t doing some sort of unspeakable horror to his body, and as if the image of a fearsome warrior isn’t attached to his name. Here, in the respite of dreams, he looks like any other man.

He remembers thinking that before. And yet there’s something different this time. This time, the visage fills him with relief.

The specter lets out a breath. “Thank the gods.” Everything’s fine. He’s fine. There’s no need to worry. Convincing himself of that, he turns to leave.

He can go. He can brood someplace else and leave A’vett to his well deserved rest-

“Not even going to say goodnight?”

Ardbert whips his head around to find one eye lazily staring back at him. His mouth fails him as any words come out as sputters.

A’vett pushes himself up to properly look at the other man and says, “Don’t look so shocked. I’m a light sleeper. I kind of have to be.”

The shade sighs. “I’m back again, it looks like. At any rate, I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Heh, welcome back. And thankfully, nothing happened after my conversation with the Exarch, so I think I’m fine now.”

“Still,” Ardbert begins, “I ought to let you rest then. Goodnight-”

“Wait!” A’vett darts a hand from the bed and grips the specter’s arm. He’s blushing wildly as he stutters out, “W-would you uh, do me a favor?”

The Hume slowly nods, not sure what to expect.

The other man’s blush only grows darker as he lets go and curls up into himself. “Stay here,” He murmurs, voice barely above a whisper. “For a little while, at least. Please.”

“Uh…” Ardbert begins to flush in response.

“It’s fine if you’d rather not! I know this damn Light inside of me hasn’t done anything else, but there’s still this bundle of nerves that makes me anxious that something might. I’d feel better if you were with me. I... just want someone by my side. I want you here.”

Ghost or not, that last statement sends Ardbert’s heart racing. Something like that, a plea so heartfelt and even a little desperate. How could he ever say no?

First thing’s first though. He grabs his axe from behind him.

(He tries to not let his eyes linger on the bloodstains. He doesn’t want his mind to linger to the memories of their last moments. He doesn’t want to be reminded of another sin. Not now.)

When he places it on the wall, it lingers for a moment before vanishing into nothing.

“Uh…” A’vett voices Ardbert’s thoughts for him from his bed. “That’s not… just gone is it?”

“I have no clue,” the shade admits. His thoughts focus on his axe and in the blink of an eye, it’s ephemeral visage reappears in his hand. “Oh.” Ardbert eloquently mutters. His thoughts turn to willing the weapon away, and just like that, it does.

He turns to the Miqo’te, who looks just as surprised and equally impressed. “Could you always do that?”

“Again, I have no clue. That was the first time I actually tried that,” the Hume answers. He puts that piece of information away to mull over for another time and then walks over to the Seeker’s side before promptly stopping.

Despite the resolution his heart has come to, hesitation fills Ardbert’s movements as he stands completely still at the foot of A’vett’s bed. Even though the Miqo’te said his request loud and clear, thousands of interpretations of his statement race through the Hume’s mind. Did he just want him to watch over him at a distance? Or perhaps he wanted him to sit on the bed’s edge, comforting him like a parent helping their child fall asleep? No no no, the mother hen jokes are just that. There could be no way A’vett actually thought of him like that! And gods, why does the possibility of that fill him with such dread?!

Ardbert barely registers the growing irritation on his companion’s face. He doesn’t hear the exasperation that escapes the other man’s mouth and before he knows it, the shade is being pulled straight into the bed. A part of him expects to fall straight through and make contact with the floor, so it’s a surprise when his body lands on the bed and Ardbert receives a face full of pillow. 

The specter pushes himself up and finds himself just mere ilms from A’vett’s face. From here, he can easily make out every detail. Dark brown locks sweeping across verdant eyes. The cross-shaped scar faded on his left cheek. The grin Ardbert has grown accustomed to, full of amusement as it stretches across his features.

(It takes a concentrated amount of will to not let his eyes stay glued on the Miqo’te’s lips nor the sight of his chest peeking out through his smallclothes, and the shade does everything in his power to let that train of thought run longer than it needs to.)

“Oh! Are you alright?” Ardbert asks, finally realizing that his body is haphazardly strewn across more than half of A’vett’s smaller frame.

“Perfectly fine, actually. You’re not as heavy as I thought. Perks of being a ghost, huh?” The other man waits for a second before adding, “But it’d still be rather hard to sleep with you on me like this, you know?”

The Hume murmurs a small apology, and lets A’vett guide him the two of them are comfortably side by side on the bed connected by their hands lightly resting on each other. 

(“I’d rather not risk you falling to the floor. Still so many mysteries regarding your ghostly self, after all,” A’vett says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Ardbert isn’t inclined to argue.)

There’s an awkward atmosphere building as they both look at the ceiling, so Ardbert swallows his fear and squeezes the other’s palm. A’vett glances back in a moment of surprise, but it’s quickly replaced with a chuckle and a squeeze in return.

“You look a bit silly with all your armor on. ...Can you even take it off? Make it disappear like your axe?”

“Hells if I know. Never thought to try after learning I couldn’t sleep.”

“Care to then?” Ardbert looks to the side with a brow raised. The Miqo’te only shrugs in response. “Don’t look at me like that. Might as well try and get comfy in my opinion.”

“Why not, I suppose. But uh, I should probably get up first.”

“If you must.”

“It’d be hard to get my armor off otherwise.”

“That’s why I never try to wear too much.” A’vett replies, as if that minor inconvenience is proof towards his vendetta against proper plating.

In a single motion, Ardbert pulls himself from the bed and begins the process of removing his armor. Even after a century, the ingrained motions stir within his memories. Buckles and straps are loosened. He becomes reacquainted with his old routine, and quickly adjusts to the way that his armor simply vanishes once it hits the floor. If his axe is any indication, he has no doubt that it’ll reappear on his body should he desire it. When all that’s left is a matching set of a black long shirt and trousers, he promptly squeezes back at A’vett’s side.

“Much better!” The Seeker exclaims and Ardbert nods in agreement.

“True enough.”

“So, how does it feel? Being able to be in a bed again,” A’vett asks.

“Good, I think. It’s odd. I feel it better compared to when I was wearing my armor, but it’s not as… solid? It doesn’t feel as real, not compared to touching you.”

“That… is odd.”

“Aye.”

Silence quickly overtakes them again, but there’s no tension between the two. An amiable quiet, punctured only by the sounds of their breathing.

“Are…” A’vett begins. Ardbert sneaks a glance, and sees the Miqo’te struggle to get the words out. “Are you alright? You worried me when you left. I wasn’t sure I’d get another chance to see you before the Scions and I set out for Kholusia. You didn’t take the news all too well.”

Is he alright? Ardbert is happy for Minfilia-no, that’s no longer her name. He’s happy for Ryne, the girl who has claimed her own destiny. The girl who started with nothing, now blazing a path to protect all that she now has. But with her rebirth goes the chance for the specter to learn why he is still forced to wander the star. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” the shade begins. “I’m glad that Ryne is her own person now. She deserves it. I just wish I had an answer. Minfilia told me that it wasn’t my time yet. But when will it be? How much longer will I have to wander?”

Another year? Or maybe another century for an added measure. Maybe his time will come in a millennia. He doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want to keep watching the world move on without him.

But most of all, he doesn’t want to lose this.

He knows that one day, A’vett will leave the First. Why shouldn’t he? He has a home already. Whatever attachment he may feel for Norvrandt surely pales in comparison to those of the Source. When the night is fully restored to the world, his mission will be complete. When the others finally cure him of the Light afflicting him, that’ll be another weight off his shoulders. And once the Exarch and Scions finally figure out a way to return home, will the man at his side really have any reason to come back? He has enough troubles back home, and trying to shoulder the burdens of another world is too much for anyone to bear. Even should he want to return, it may be years or decades according to A’vett’s explanation that the passage of time between the two shards can fluctuate.

So if A’vett does one day return, when? What if one day he comes back and everything is different? What if he comes from the Crystal Tower and stumbles upon a city unlike the one he has grown accustomed to? What if the rest of Norvandt has become an unfamiliar landscape? What if all the people he has met on this journey have long passed, and he truly has become a legend come to life to their descendants?

Would that spell a new adventure, or would it be a sign that the First no longer needs the Warrior of Darkness, and a story should stay just that?

What if the only thing that stays the same is Ardbert, still trapped and separated from the world he gave everything for?

Is that enough?

(Is _he_ enough?)

A set of warm hands gently placed on his cheeks shake Ardbert from his thoughts. He focuses back on his surroundings and sees an exasperated smile on the face of the person causing all of these musings.

“Even now you can’t seem to let go of that dower frown. It’s such a shame,” A’vett chides.

The shade doesn’t expect the sudden light of inspiration that brightens the Seeker’s eyes, nor does he expect the sudden attack as A’vett begins to squish and stretch his face. The assault lasts a few minutes, before the utter absurdity of it all rips a hearty laugh from Ardbert.

It takes another minute, when the ghost has cooled down for him to notice that the Miqo’te’s hands have stilled.

“W-what in the gods’ names was that for?” Ardbert asks as the last bits of laughter escapes him.

“What do you mean? I wanted to make you smile,” A’vett answers.

“So you attacked my face like a lunatic?”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

Ardbert chuckles again, and the grin he didn’t even know he was sporting grows wider. “I suppose it did. Was it worth all the effort?”

“Yeah,” A’vett’s hands slip from his face and his expression morphs into a mix of pride and nostalgia. Ardbert can’t help but think the Miqo’te is talking to himself as he murmurs, “What do you know, Vett, smiles do suit heroes better.”

The specter’s smile falters. “Still think I’m a hero? Even now?”

A’vett takes Ardbert’s hand and looks him straight in the eye. “I do. You and all your friends. ...I mean, you ought to know with the work I’ve been doing regarding the Cardinal Virtues.”

The Hume raises an eyebrow in response.

“Oh. You don’t. And here I believed you were constantly watching me.”

“Come now, I try to give you some measure of privacy!”

Ardbert doesn’t expect to learn that these Cardinal Virtues are his dearest friends, turned into Sin Eaters and wreaking havoc across the land. He knows that it’s not really them. The image of their souls fading will never leave him. That explains the assortment of bounty hunters that the Miqo’te has been hanging around. All of that to hunt them down. Each and every one of them.

“Why?” the specter eventually asks.

“Why not?” A’vett retorts.

“You already have plenty on your plate. And something tells me that each of them are an impressive threat by themselves. So why put yourself through all the trouble?”

A’vett lets out a hum as he flips onto his back. Ardbert is vaguely aware of the other man’s hand barely an ilm apart from his own. “I was curious, at first. For rather obvious reasons, I didn’t have the fondest memories of them when we fought way back then. But I didn’t forget that you all tried to kill me for a reason, a good one at that. And then I heard all your stories about them. When I heard about them and the bounty hunters, I thought it would be a good chance to learn more. With the Echo, I’ve seen a lot about their lives. They’ve fought for so much. They’ve lost so much. I want to send those amazing heroes on a sendoff they deserve. Even if the soul is gone, the body needs peace too.”

“...Thank you,” the Hume murmurs.

“Don’t thank me yet. I still have to take them down, you know.”

“True enough. But thank you regardless. For caring. For doing all of this.”

The Miqo’te takes that moment to intertwine a pinky with Ardbert’s own. “Well, you’re welcome then. I promise I’ll do my best.”

The specter smiles. “I know you will.”

The Seeker shifts to face Ardbert again, taking care to keep their pinkies linked. “And I promise, when all of this is said and done, I’ll figure out a way to give you the rest you deserve too.”

“You think I’m worth all the effort?”

“Well…” A’vett drawls out with a yawn, before that familiar grin graces his lips. “For the one who’s made these nights so fun, of course!”

“Is that so? Using me just to stave off boredom, you scoundrel!” Ardbert shifts away slightly in mock offense, but the effect is greatly dulled by the smile he fails to hide on his face and how their pinkies are still connected.

“Ah yes, the person himself is quite alright himself,” the Miqo’te freely admits.

“Well, I suppose that’s a satisfactory enough answer.”

“I’m always happy to please, after all.”

From there, the conversation winds down. Ardbert feels A’vett shift slightly, probably to get more comfortable. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see that the Seeker’s eyes are closed. He spends the next few minutes just listening: to A’vett’s breaths, his own thoughts, and the almost silent world just outside this room.

Ardbert’s reprieve is broken when he hears soft snores coming from his companion, so he takes that as a telltale sign that the other has finally fallen asleep.

He doesn’t have the courage to say that he won’t leave him alone ever again, not if he can help it. Well, not yet anyway. So instead, Ardbert carefully maneuvers his body so can get a good look at the man who is slowly managing to save a broken star.

“Thank you again,” Ardbert whispers, “Thank you for not leaving me alone.”

He’s too afraid to voice the feelings in heart, nor can he give them their proper name, obvious as they now are to him. Pinkies still linked, Ardbert gives a light squeeze as he instead makes a silent vow. No matter what tomorrow brings, he wants to be by A’vett’s side. In any way he can, he hopes to make the burden the other man bears just a little bit lighter.

He’s still not sure he deserves that right, but he hopes that the gods will be merciful enough, just this once.

He takes one last look at A’vett, and closes his eyes as he makes himself comfortable.

Ardbert may not be able to sleep, but he can still try to dream.

(Maybe his dreams will linger to a world where two heroes can just be an ordinary pair.

Perhaps a farmer and a chef?)

.

“Sitting again? After the long wait we just endured?” Ardbert asks.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t take that tone with me, you know. It’s not my fault that Emet-Selch, that lunatic, has monsters running around in his city like this. I sure as hells didn’t expect them to gang up me!” A’vett lets out a groan as he leans back into the stone wall of the outside of the Bureau of the Secretariat. “For a large pile of… goopy something, those things pack quite the punch!”

“The great Warrior of Darkness, laid low by a random pile of goopy something.” The Hume chuckles, plopping down next his glaring companion.

“While it’s nice to see you smile more, I’d rather it not be at my expense.” The Seeker grumbles.

“Aye, a thousand apologies from me then.”

“Personally, I think a thousand and one would be better.”

“Personally, I believe you’re pushing it,” Ardbert playfully retorts.

A’vett snickers. “Don’t be a bastard, take pity on me! Ugh, who knew you got tired more quickly when you’re dying?”

Ardbert frowns at that. “You shouldn’t say that. There has to be a way to help you, I’m sure of it.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right. It doesn’t do me any good to mope around like this. It’s... just hard to not think like that,” The Miqo’te sighs.

The spirit takes that moment to move closer, slotting himself in place right at A’vett’s side. “I told you, I’ll do my best to help you in stopping the Light. I’ll do whatever I can think of, even if it means somehow dragging you over to the Exarch so you get some kind of solution out of him.”

“Dragging me? Really? It would only work in your favor if you put it in a more gentle way. Like, I dunno, you carrying me around like a knight in shining armor.”

“Aren’t you the one who equated me to a brute during your delusion of me as a farmer?”

A’vett lets out a humph in response. “Things change. Now I know that you’re just like a teddy bear.”

“Because I really give off the image of someone soft and cuddly?” Ardbert chuckles, gesturing to his armor and axe.

“True, that prickly exterior of yours makes it hard to see that,” The Seeker hums. “But the fact that you make quite the good pillow is proof enough of your teddy bear nature! Who knew spirits could do more than haunt you?”

“Well, not all ghosts have the same connection to you.”

A’vett blinks at that. “Good point. ...Two who were once one, or however Hythlodaeus put it.”

“Aye.”

Ah yes, that’s right. The whole “we were once one person” thing.

It’s weird how Ardbert isn’t as surprised as he should be at that revelation. To anyone else, it would probably be some sort of world-shaking event. But to him, it just makes sense. It’s the final piece of the puzzle between him and A’vett, one that makes everything so clear to him. Why he’s still here. Why the Seeker is able to see and touch him. Why it was so easy to take comfort in his presence.

“Say, what color do you think our souls are?”

“...What?” Ardbert stares blankly at the Miqo’te, his musings stopped in their tracks by the random question.

“Humor me, else I label you as a brute again. Let’s narrow it down a little: cool color or a warm color?”

The Hume shrugs. Why the hells not, right? He takes a moment to consider before saying, “A cool color.”

“Oh?”

“Well, I initially thought something like white. But with everything we’ve seen so far…”

A’vett laughs. “Yeah, let’s put white off the table. I’d also take away black because we don’t exactly have a good experience with darkness either.”

Ardbert nods in agreement. “You’ll hear no argument from me. So, my reasoning is this: neither of us are slouches when it comes to a fight and we’re always raring to go when it comes to it, right? But it’s not as though we really fight for the sake of one. It’s for the people we love. For those moments of calm, and to give everyone we care about a peaceful life. That makes me think of cool colors.”

“Yeah…” The Seeker murmurs, eyes widening as he understands the specter’s train of thought. “I like that! I like it a lot! In that case, maybe it’s somewhere between blue and green?”

“What makes you think that?”

“Our eyes.” A’vett’s hand points back and forth between himself and the specter. “Ever hear that one saying, ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’, or something like that?”

“Ah! I have, actually.”

“Good. So, if we follow that line of thought, maybe it’s some sort of shade that’s between them. Maybe a teal? No, that’s a bit too dark, no? Perhaps cyan? Or maybe even a mint green? ”

Ardbert just stares at the Miqo’te who continues listing off colors from the top of his head. He can’t help but finally take in the absolute nonsense that the past few minutes have been. The ghost tries to stifle any laughter, but eventually it breaks free and Ardbert finds himself laughing into his glove as he struggles to control himself.

“What’s with you?” A’vett asks, shock written all over his face.

“Please,” Ardbert begs, “Please tell me you realize how completely stupid this whole conversation has been.”

“I… it’s not…” The Seeker stops in his tracks. His face goes through several expressions before laughter escapes him as well. He’s clutching his stomach, bending into his knees and Ardbert thinks he can see tears beginning to well in his eyes. The shades rubs circles into the Miqo’te’s back until the latter leans back, last bits of laughter finally leaving him.

“See it now?” Ardbert asks with an amused grin.

“Gods,” A’vett breathes out, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, “this has been completely stupid, hasn’t it? How in the seven hells did we get here again?”

“It’s because you mentioned what that giant fellow said. ...Actually, you’re less surprised about the fact that we were once one soul that I thought,” Ardbert eventually says, as he comes to the belated realization that A’vett is handling that particular revelation with as much casualness as him.

The Miqo’te snorts in response. “I could say the same to you too.”

“True. But to me, it just…”

“...Made sense?”

Ardbert blinks in surprise. “Aye. I suppose you shared that feeling?”

A’vett nods. “Yeah. It was easy being with you. Being able to relax with you was-actually, do you mind if I tell you a little story?”

The Hume raises a brow. “You don’t want to get going yet? I’m sure you’re making the other Scions wait.”

“Please, they can wait just a while longer. The amount of times I had to wait for any one of them is far too much to count. I want to get this off my chest.”

Ardbert only smiles in response. “Go on then. I’m listening.”

A’vett looks upward, towards the sea that still covers the sky they both have fought for. “This is a bit of a long story to tell you the truth, so bear with me. Do you remember our first talk that night, when I asked if you missed the night sky?”

“Of course.”

“Well, the truth is that I was in the same boat as you. Thinking that the night sky would just be there, a constant something that anyone would experience. It was… surreal, when I first came here. Gods, was it a pain in the arse to get some shut eye even with the windows closed.” Ardbert chuckles at that, prompting a laugh from the Miqo’te as well. “Okay okay, I’m getting off track. When we slew the Lightwarden in Lakeland, I just thought it was good to see the stars again. But then I heard the awe in Lyna’s voice. That uptight, serious guard captain who was ready to gut me the moment we met. I saw so many people in the Crystarium just standing there, wonder in their eyes and even some in tears. Then it hit me: I’m trying to save a whole godsdamn world!”

“Isn’t saving the world the norm for a hero?”

“Quiet you. Saving Eorzea is a lot smaller compared to literally saving a whole world. Much more nerve wracking at any rate. Anyways, our little talk gave me an important reminder about the things I’ve learned ever since becoming an adventurer.”

Ardbert tilts his head in confusion. “A reminder?”

“A reminder that life is short. Even shorter for adventurers, and especially Warriors of Light. You can’t ever take anything for granted. As a hero, the people and things I care about are easy to lose if I’m not careful. So I’ve got to cherish every moment, good and bad.” A’vett rests his head on Ardbert’s shoulder and a blush begins to bloom as he adds, “And to tell you the truth, those nights that I spent with you are the ones that I cherish the most.”

Ardbert’s eyes widen in response. “Truly?”

“Yeah. Pretty much from the moment I wake up, I’m the Warrior of Light, the Hero of Eorzea, and all those other stuffy titles. I rarely get a moment to be me, you know? Even with the Scions, I can’t help but feel like I have a bit of an image to uphold. It’s moments like these, where I can be a complete and utter fool with someone who truly understands, that I love the most.”

“I’m glad, then.” And that’s the truth from Ardbert. Since the start, Ardbert has never been alone. He’s always had someone at his side: starting with Lamitt, then as their merry duo grew into Norvrandt’s Warriors of Light. No matter what, they always, always, had each other. And maybe that’s why it was hard for him following his return to the First. Because for the first time in a long time, Ardbert was alone.

But that isn’t the case with A’vett. In his time, he is the only one to be called a Warrior of Light. Even with all his allies at his side, only he is the one to bear such a harsh and weighty title. 

To hear him admit that those simple moments meant so much to him as it did Ardbert fills the spirit with joy.

A’vett lets out a groan, pushing himself off the specter’s shoulder. “Well, we should probably get going, right?”

“Actually,” Ardbert starts, “Why don’t we stay here for a little while longer?”

“Oh?”

“Aye. Indulge me, won’t you?”

A’vett snickers. “And didn’t you say we shouldn’t keep the others waiting?”

“And didn’t you say we should try to cherish every moment?” Ardbert retorts.

The Seeker grins, and quickly sits back down. “I did, didn’t I? So, how long should I do you this little favor?”

“How about… twenty or so minutes?”

“Yeah, I believe that’s a reasonable amount of time.”

As A’vett goes to lean his head back down on Ardbert’s shoulder, a stray thought picks at his mind.

“Wait, is laying your head down on my armor even comfortable?” The specter wonders.

The Miqo’te shrugs. “Well, I’ve slept on worse things than pauldrons.”

Ardbert rolls his eyes. “That doesn’t make me feel better. Alright then, let me just…”

In a single motion, the Hume maneuvers his arm around the A’vett, pulling the Seeker in close enough so that he can lay on Ardbert’s chest.

“I know you’re still on my armor, but is it any better?” Ardbert asks, twisting his face away in a vain attempt to conceal the blush rapidly blooming on his face.

(Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see a similar flush take spread across A’vett’s cheeks. It takes every bit of willpower to prevent a shite-eating grin from appearing.)

“Y-yeah, it’s better. Thanks.” The Miqo’te mutters, shifting around just a little bit and settling in.

Ardbert does his best to stay still until he can hear A’vett’s breath turn into a steady rhythm. He sees those green eyes flutter and finally shut. It’s tempting really, to let those twenty or so minutes stretch on for a little longer to let the other man rest. But he can tell. Time is running low. 

That just means he has to cherish every moment.

Taking another once over to ensure that the other man is asleep, Ardbert slowly brushes A’vett’s brown locks away and he presses his lips onto the Seeker's forehead. The shade whips his head away immediately, face burning at what he just did. Thank the gods none of that shook A’vett awake.

Ardbert lets out a shaky breath and looks upward. How he wishes that he could see the night sky that he has grown to cherish. There’s still so much uncertainty in the air. The odds are against A’vett and the Scions, and Ardbert isn’t sure of anything he can do. But he takes solace in a certain phrase. The promise that his time will come, that everything that has happened is for a reason. And regardless, there’s one thing that’s clear to him.

For the man he loves, Ardbert is certainly willing to do anything and everything to keep him safe.

.

“If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it? Could you save our worlds?”

“What, all by myself?”

.

“Krile, really, I can help. You shouldn’t have to try to look after everyone all by yourself.”

Tiny hands begin to push him out of Dawn’s Respite. “Oh please, you did the hard part of bringing everyone back. Now let me do _my part_ , and you get yourself home to rest. And don’t you forget I’m not alone either. Tataru’s here to remind me to take a break as well.”

“You don’t need to worry about us wandering about, none of us are in any state to leave the bed, let alone wave around a blade,” Alisaie chimes in from her bed.

A’vett lets out a sigh, the temptation of a good night’s sleep for too nice to pass up. “Alright, but you need to do me a favor.”

Krile tilts her head in response. “Oh?”

“The second G’raha wakes up, let me know. He really had the gall to make me climb the Crystal Tower all the way to Xande’s throne and then made me carry him back down! It’s true that he wasn’t all that heavy, but it’s the principle of the matter. Just because you’re going to go to sleep for an era or two doesn’t mean you need to be excessively dramatic about it! He has quite the lecture in store later.”

“Now that’ll be quite the show,” Y’shtola chuckles into her tea. 

Krile lets out a laugh of her own. “Don’t worry, I’ll call you as soon as possible. That’s something I don’t want to miss, either. Poor poor Raha...”

A’vett bids the other Scions a good night and steps out of the Rising Stones and into the open air of Mor Dhona. He takes a deep breath and welcomes the stars to watch over him on the journey home. He bounds over to the aetheryte, and within moments he’s staring out into the Lavender Beds. The trek is a silent affair, most houses on the route have their lights off. 

The moment A’vett swings into the entrance of his plot, he makes a beeline for the stables. The Miqo’te chuckles as his dear chocobo brightens at his appearance.

“Butterball!” A’vett exclaims as the bird butts his head into his chest. “Oh, I’ve missed you too, boy! The last few days have been far too hectic. Have the others been taking care of you right?”

Butterball lets out a kweh of affirmation, and A’vett takes that moment to ruffle the feathers on the chocobo’s head more. “I’m glad! My bestest boy only deserves the best care, after all! Let’s go on a ride in the morning, okay?” Another cheerful kweh gives the Seeker the answer he needs and he bids his faithful partner goodnight and heads inside his house.

One quick bath and dinner later, A’vett collapses into his bed.

As his eyes begin to close, he takes one last look at his open window and sees the stars he's grown so familiar. In the last few seconds before sleep takes him, he can't help but wish that a certain someone by his side.

.

It’s not his ceiling that greets him when A’vett opens his eyes.

“What in the hells…” He mutters, raising his head from a counter. He casts a wary glance at his surroundings. He looks at rows of tables and the minimal amount of decor hanging around, much of it resembling the ones he painstakingly put in his own house. All of it is cast in a soft light, giving off a cozy atmosphere. A tavern? Or maybe a small restaurant? He takes a look at an open window in a corner and sees the night sky.

The Seeker looks down and realizes he’s not wearing his sleeping attire, but instead a uniform of some kind.

“Wait, this looks like the same apron I wear at the Firmament…” A’vett muses, but his thoughts are shaken by the sound of a door opening.

“Ah, good. You’re still open it seems!”

A’vett whips his head to the entrance, and enters a face he never imagined he’d see again. 

There’s no familiar armor, no oversized axe. Instead, the unexpected figure is wearing a well-worn pair of overalls, heavy mitts, and a wide-brim hat that almost hide those light blue eyes filled with mirth.

Ardbert tilts his head at him, arms crossed and a knowing smirk wide on his face. “What? I’m not that far past closing time.”

What in the Twelve is this stupid bear of a man-

Then it hits A’vett.

Oh. _Oh_.

The Miqo’te settles into a faux frown and lets out an overly dramatic sigh. “You’re almost a full bell after, you know? You’re very lucky you’re my favorite customer, gods know why.”

Ardbert saunters over, resting his arms on the counter. “I do believe it is my winning smile.”

“Hmm. Doubtful. So anyway, what’d you like to eat?”

“Why don’t you choose?”

A’vett snorts. “Fine, fine. Make me do all the work. But, you better get behind the counter and make us something worthy of your so-called master skills.”

The Hume rolls his eyes as he slips around to the other side and begins to eye the bottles on the shelves A’vett now noticed were there. “I never said I was a master, but I’ll see what I can do for us.”

A’vett makes his way into another door, and faces a surprisingly well-furnished kitchen. It’s familiar to him somehow. Various parts of it remind him of home and of the kitchen used in the Pendants. That would make sense, if this is all some grand delusion he conjured up in his mind. He scours the cabinets and in the midst of finding ingredients he stops for a moment to think.

Is there even any point in trying to cook?

_Can he?_

A’vett takes another moment and shrugs.

Oh what the hell, no harm in trying.

By the time he exits the kitchen, Ardbert is patiently waiting at a table by the open window with a pint of ale for the both of them.

“Enjoy!” The Miqo’te proclaims with a flourish as he sets their plates down and takes the seat across from his companion.

“Wow…” Ardbert gasps, eyes wide and mouth already watering at the sight. “What’d you cook for us today, my good chef?”

“It’s called Farmer’s Breakfast, according to the book I read a while back.”

The Hume chuckles. “Did you forget it’s night out?”

“Breakfast for dinner is a great meal choice!” The Seeker retorts, effectively ending the conversation as he digs in.

For a dream, A’vett decides, he did a damn fine job.

“I missed this,” A’vett finally says, setting aside his meal to take another proper look at Ardbert.

The other man looks back at him, a soft smile on his lips. “Aye. So did I.”

“I missed this,” The Miqo’te repeats. “I… I really missed you.”

Ardbert’s suddenly on his feet, panic written all over his face and A’vett wonders what’s wrong. Then he notices the soft dripping of something wet on his hands.

Lifting his hands to his face, another realization hits him.

He’s crying. Oh, no wonder.

Ardbert immediately wraps him up in an almost bone-crushing embrace, and A’vett wraps his arms around that firm torso as the tears continue to fall.

“Y-you bastard!” A’vett cries, anger in his voice dulled by his sobs and the utter relief that Ardbert’s really in front of him. “I missed you so damn much! And here you are, after I hear your voice while fighting Elidibus, and after you said your goodbyes to Seto! Why… why did you take so long?”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Ardbert mutters into the top of his head. “When we merged, I effectively I became a part of you. It took me a long while to sort out the bits that were me from the bits that were you.”

“Took you long enough.”

“Aye.” A’vett feels Ardbert pull back slightly, and he looks up to see icy blue eyes welled with tears staring back at him. “But I’m here now.”

“You are.”

He’s here. Really and truly here. And speaking of here…

A’vett looks around. “So, where are we? Some sort of dream or a space inside my soul?”

Ardbert shrugs. “I don’t really know myself. I think I wished for a space just for the two of us and then I was here. I uh, tried to do something with that daft fantasy of yours, but I’m not sure it’s really up to your standards. My imagination doesn’t match yours, I’m afraid.”

“I like it,” A’vett refutes. “It’s quite charming. You did a great job. And besides, maybe we can work on it together.”

“I’m glad then.” The Hume replies, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

“So… how much longer do you think we have here?”

“If this is a dream, then until you wake up, I suppose.”

“I see…” A’vett mutters, standing up from his seat. “In that case, we ought to make every moment count, right?”

His hands leave Ardbert’s back and carefully cup the Hume’s cheeks. A’vett can feel the heat in his palms intensify as Ardbert’s eyes widen and his blush grows deeper.

The two lean in, stopping only a few ilms.

“A-are you certain?” Ardbert asks, and A’vett can hear the mix of want and fear in his tone. “There are so many others out there who would love a chance to get to hold you like this.”

“Why would I want anyone else,” A’vett chuckles, “when the man I love is right here?”

The Seeker closes the distance between their lips, and he can feel the way they melt into each other. If a moment could last forever, A’vett thinks, this is certainly one that he would like to.

When they eventually separate to breath, Ardbert collapses into the crook of A’vett’s neck. “I love you,” He proclaims. “No matter what, I’ll always be here for you. Whenever you need me, I’ll come running, I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that then,” A’vett says with a laugh. “Say, don’t you think you’ve forgotten to say something? We say it almost every time we see each other, and there’s no need to break it now.”

Ardbert pulls back, confusion written all over his face. It takes another second before his eyes light up. “I’m back!” He beams, and A’vett thinks that nothing in the world can compare to that dazzling smile of his. Even if all the stars jumbled together, they wouldn’t even match half that shine. Sliding his arms around the other man’s neck, A’vett reaches up and pulls the man in for another hug.

“Welcome back!”

**Author's Note:**

> Ardbert deserves the best, you can't change my mind. And if the best to me is this mess then hey, I'm the clown here. After all, it's been 3-ish years since I wrote anything and then this damn game holds me at gunpoint and demands I start writing again. At any rate, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Verdant_Mage) if you wanna follow. I've got plenty of other ideas about things to write, but who knows if I actually will. Anyways, thanks so much for reading!


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